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Find. The purpose of the project is to help the people become more self-sufficient and to help them adjust to life in the United States and in Kansas City and also in Kansas City Kansas. That's been a real problem around the country. They don't feel like they belong in my heart. It was very very difficult to see your young loved ones basically destroying themselves. And I think it will be a to you. Well I know I'll be a in because things are starting to fall in order. Good things come to he who waits and I BEEN pay some alone time. Good evening. Welcome to Kansas City Illustrated I'm John Masterman. Our lead story tonight is

about a group of Southeast Asian refugees struggling to get along in Kansas City Kansas. We'll have a progress report on the chemical people task force groups organized last fall to combat teenage drug and alcohol abuse. We'll have a report on a Kansas City who is trying to make a new career in boxing. And we'll talk with a man who works to prevent the abduction of children. First to our story of Southeast Asian newcomer as reported more than a month ago by Kansas City Times columnist George Gurli a vandal drove a truck through the gardens of Hmong refugees who settled in Kansas City. And recently Claire Roberts visited the monks to see how they're getting along. So. Much more than physical distance separates the streets of Kansas City Kansas from Southeast Asia. There are language differences and cultural differences. There's a difference between a non-literate farming clan society and a fast paced urban high tech city

untouched by war in the mountains of Laos. The Hmong or hillside farmers turn guerrilla fighters. Their fight against the communist path that Mao was supported by Americans. When the path that Lao took control of the government in 1975 thousands of monks who had associated with the Americans. Fled across the Mekong River to refugee camps in Thailand. The word Hmong means free man free person. And they are very. Jealous as it were of their freedom their freedom is very important to them. When the communists started moving into the mountains of Laos moving into their homes. This just. Made them angry and provoked many problems between the communists and the Hmong and at that point they were recruited by special services in other. Parts of the US entourage overseas. And. As to their fighting abilities well

they are very adept at jungle warfare. I know. And. Having lived over in that part of the world I know what the jungles are like and you have to be tough to survive. And their whole style of life is one that it had a lot of hardships involved in it for many of the roughly 600 Hmong living in Kansas City Kansas. Life continues to be hard. The language barrier has kept most in minimum wage jobs or on welfare. The refugee assistance center administers a federally funded project designed specifically to help the Hmong people. The one year program ending in September includes social services English classes and agriculture and handicraft development. The purpose of the project is to help the people become more self-sufficient and to help them adjust to life in the United States and in Kansas City. Also

in Kansas City Kansas. That's been a real problem throughout the country. They don't feel like they belong. Life here is so different from what it is and how bad it's been a big. Stumbling block for them and they're a testament to their life and to finding work and raising their families. Some of them have been there for almost seven or eight years. For the city. And to an outsider looking. And. You might wonder why they haven't. By now been able to stand on their own and not need help and more. Laos is one of the most underdeveloped countries in the world. Their education level is very low. And with them long many of them women have never been to school. And what's not culturally acceptable the men have been. To school but maybe only for a few years therefore they're not used to learning. They have no skills. All they know how to do is farm.

And it's been very difficult for them to access to certain urban sophisticated cultures. The United States more so probably than any other refugee group in the world. Students are also taught the basics about American life and work things like understanding job benefits such as insurance. We're not part of their lives before I go to. Oh boo. Hoo. Hoo. Hoo. Hoo hoo hoo hoo hoo. I mean Doc Pugel can support the family. So. Our. Second run is. To have them we have

all. Gone home. So. The game plan is to go on. To use their skill in farming. The Hmong project provides families with land and supplies to grow their own food. Their basic diet of rice is supplemented with vegetables from their gardens. Favorites are Chinese cabbage snow peas beans and sweet corn. The gardens have about 10 families were destroyed last month when a vandal drove his truck over the plants. Although the garden was replanted the psychological damage lingers on. Well it's discouraging. It's discouraging to the staff. And to these people who have been through so much. And think that they're finally through with the communist raids and the retaliation and the wholesale destruction of their homeland only to come here and encounter vandalism like this is most discouraging.

And we of course are not certain if it was racially motivated or if it's just some punk out for a joy ride or they don't understand that kind of thing that would never happen in their country and they don't understand personal insults or injuries or. That kind of a personal kind of assault on them. They don't they don't cope with that wow. And it was very difficult in their community. It. Broke their spirit. The Hmong prefer hillside farming it is less of a strain on the back with water buffalo cattle. A lot of it has been done on the slopes on the sides of mountains. And. It's a whole different kind of agriculture it's almost a subsistence level agriculture and we are not at that point in America. We are much more developed than that. So they can be. And in parts of America the Hmong people have set up cooperatives or have adjusted in that way become just like American farmers. But that's a few years down the line for us here in Kansas City.

My thinking is that we need to maintain some of the traditions and some of their way of life that they have known for centuries on end and gradually to assimilate them into American culture. It's the young people who learn American ways most quickly. They do stay in touch with their traditional culture colorful outfits once were warned to display Hmong ability to sew. And in border. Now they are worn only on special occasions. In anything they have to wear. And even today still nobody in the very shy this and say only in this station of time party and then you there it's kind of funny when you wear these big pants. But it's good wearing it. They like wearing it too. Well I feel kind of special because. I only dress like

four times in a year and kind. Fine about 52 of the older women are involved in the handicraft project at the center. The same bright colors worn in their traditional costumes are used in their artwork it's by hand entirely by hand. What we have here is. Dow tapestries and the word Bandow literally means flour cloth. And what we do with these tapestries are try to encourage the Hmong women to maintain their heritage and to continue making these tapestries here in America and then what we do is to help them by marketing them by selling them. You must understand that when we were trying to track down the symbolism for these pieces and speaking with the women who make them quite often we got the response Gee I don't know. I'm not sure what they're what the symbolism is but that's how grandma made them. So in other words it has been handed down through the

generations and certain symbols nonetheless do recur in the now. And. Some of these are the snail pattern the eight pointed star. Tiger ears and most of them also have a fence around them a border which is to repel evil spirits. Many people use them as a form of dowery. In other words the young girl will present them to her mother in law on marriage. Some of the other pieces that we have for sale. We have a baby carrier which is almost like a Papua's carrier. And very intricate embroidery work involved in it. And then there's some other pieces we have that are used with the dead with the dead people. They are put under the head of the court. Imagine a woman who has never been to school and who has spent all of her time working on the farm in the mountains and has a very old and wonderful heritage suddenly

uprooted by warfare and famine and guerrilla way guerrilla wars and then brought to a new country and said I just. Make make make a go of it. And it's tough and it's it's so much tougher for the older people and the older people are the ones who we're mostly involved in making these Pando really hard for the elder. To. Start and in live and. This country. And you don't need a man. You don't have. Enough. Time. You don't have. Anymore. You don't have. All gone. So. What is sad about them. Right now. Is. Still. You know. Things about go back to their home. And. Then. What would happen if they were to go back.

Home. Just think about that. I don't. Know when we can go back to that. I'm sure that will. Go to bed. Now. Right now. No no. No. You know control. We can kill. They are a people forced into change. They are not able to go back to what was familiar. They are unsure and afraid of the life here in America. Along with everything else their goals have changed. I live to study English. I know that to be an hour late. So I don't like to be dressed and I come to. Have it. I like math. I like counting my parents and my wife and I think of. Possible to. Do. You to be a fun move

possible. The refugee center won't be around forever. The numbers of new refugees have dwindled to two or three families a month. People are getting jobs and with family support surviving. We are in the process of. Writing a new grant which we hope will be approved by the government or by the Office of Refugee Resettlement. That would not be aimed specifically at Hmong people but would rather be aimed at a targeted population. Of older refugees the ones who have traditionally been ignored or overlooked by refugee programs. And. In this program we would like to reach out to those not elderly but we say 40s and 50s age bracket and try to encourage them to learn some English to give them skills such as sewing or truck gardening or like carpentry. Something along those lines. Skills that can be translated into an actual

job. What is it that. I need now. I'm sure there needs to change since I've been here in the country for a while. Well as one refugee said to me last week what he needs most of all right now. Is. To. Not be looked at as such a freak and such an outsider. And just to be looked at as just. One more in a long wave of immigrants to America. Who have come. Seeking liberty and a new homeland. And in other words he is he's ready not to assimilate and to lose his culture but rather to become an integral part of American society. There will be a sidewalk demonstration and sale of mom handywork this Saturday June 23rd in the shopping area of Fareway Kansas. This is a few observations about the moms and other newcomers to America

to understand it the sometimes troubling experience of the ocean refugees here has to be placed in the context of the sometimes troubling history of our country which will celebrate its 200 and eighth birthday. What is the secret of America's longevity. No one answer will suffice. But I've always thought that Robert Frost description of poetry language moving easy and harness isn't a bad description for the grace and violence. The freedom and oppression the dreams and the stakes of the heart that have for the epic poem that is America the harnesses the rule of law. For men it is the Declaration of Independence itself and most especially the constitution with its visions and its restraints. But it isn't possible to establish a nation on high ideals without being disappointed. Sometimes ragingly so in how that nation behaves. The history of our country is full of sorry episodes full of disgusting violence is done to whole races of people full of scandal and corruption in government

full of injustices so blatant as to make even a lawyer blush. And yet it would be foolish to dismiss our flawed attempts at self governance as a failure. No this republic has accomplished too much for that while captive citizens in other countries struggle to obtain what we take for granted while they struggle to leave their own country while they keep the hope of freedom alive in their hearts not daring to speak of it in public. Our shores are by contrast a magnet. People come here whether we want them or not. They risk their lives to get here. Sneaking over borders slipping ashore from boats seeking asylum in our embassies. And why. Because this is a dynamic humming nation in which democracies machinery runs. Yes it runs with skips and wrong turns with maddening slowness at times. It runs better for some than for others. But after 208 years of this risky experiment we are still freedom's magnet and the most who should be welcomed here in the same way that my ancestors

were and yours are living proof of that. Seven months ago public television stations throughout the United States presented a two part program called the chemical people. The purpose was to make Americans more aware of problems relating to the use and abuse of drugs and alcohol by young people. The program helped to bring about the formation of thousands of groups dedicated to battling the problem of teenage drug and alcohol abuse. Reporter Laura defo talked with two leaders of Kansas City area groups on progress being made when the chemical people was broadcast thousands of Kansas City has watched more than 6000 residents gathered at 33 town meeting sites scattered throughout the Kansas City area for the first program in about thirty five hundred for the second. Their motivation. Concern over the insidious problem of drug abuse among young young people. The program which featured appearances by political leaders television stars and sports celebrity has provided a wealth of information on the extent of the

chemical abuse problem. The statistics were alarming. One third of the nation three million high school seniors abused drugs on a regular basis. Almost one third of all seniors have experimented with stimulants and 17 percent of the graduating class of 1984 had tried cocaine and the list goes on. Immediately following the broadcast task forces were formed by those attending the town meetings. Their ambitious goal was to help find solutions to this very serious social problem. Tonight a progress report on what's happened since the program is broadcast seven months ago. With me is Harry Wood the chairman of the Johnson County Task Force on alcohol and drug abuse. And Bill Ellis chairman of the Hickman nails chemical abuse rescue effort called care. Both groups grew out of Casey Petey's chemical people outreach program. And I welcome both of you. As I said this is a progress report. Sorry. What progress have you seen since last November.

I think one of the most significant signs of increased awareness is the fact that we've got people involved in Task Force and other projects similar to at that time don't have children that are involved in the problem. They have preteens on preschool children. And I'm just saying a greater interest or greater overall interest I think we have a tremendous long way to go yet here what I have to agree with Cheri about. One of the things that I have found most interesting since the original broadcast is the concern that are shown by parents and non-parents who themselves have not had a personal problem with drugs and alcohol. We have we have several young people who are high school and junior high age who are very much involved in our program very concerned about their peers who are regular

users of drugs and alcohol. And it's it's just a growing problem and we're finding more people coming to our meetings that are very very much concerned then our helping us within the community to combat the problem information may actually be the first step towards a solution to the problem. But as you understand it you're on the Missouri side of the aisle in New Hampshire are you on the Kansas side. Let's start with with your bill. What is your perception of the extent of the chemical abuse problem among young people. Of course I can only speak personally about my general community and school system but I would say very easily a minimum of 25 percent of the young people.

And when I say young people I'm talking probably are specifically from the age of 13 to. 20 that are day to day users of alcohol and drugs. It's a frightening situation. It takes more than one person to combat it it's a community problem the community has to own up to the fact that it is their problem. It's not just the problem of those parents who have young people that are using drugs and alcohol. And but but I. Over the past seven months we've seen a continual growth in people who are becoming interested in combating the epidemic. He said 25 percent you know plus or minus a few percentage points. What about Kansas and Johnson County.

I really believe that figure is low and of course built you were you were alluding to those who have serious problems. Right right. Right. OK. With that in that case it may be closer. In all probability whatever percentages we come up with are national statistics that we can utilize. But also within the nation there are organizations like the National Drug Council who will indicate that they feel most of the problem in America is suppressed. In fact about two thirds of the real problem is being suppressed. So when you talk about 25 percent having a problem it starts getting astronomical also based on a lot of personal experience involvement with young people and their parents. I've seen an alarming number of young people experimenting with drugs and even more alarming number of them becoming psychologically addicted or having serious problems because of that usage. Sorry I know that your involvement began. In a problem began before in November and mechanical people broadcast it started back when your son

was now almost 18 or is his age and was 12 years old and about. Well it started out as a behavioral problem that we were addressing and taking him to counseling for three years. We were addressing a behavioral problem without recognizing that it was a drug and alcohol problem. And that's very typical I find a lot of parents kind of caught up in that it's sort of the onset of the typical teenage behavior. And when it starts to get a little bit abnormal or out of hand quite often that type of counseling psychological counseling is done. And when you discovered that it was drug related how did you handle that. What was your reaction. I was relieved. I was honestly relieved to know that it was a problem that could be corrected. We finally had some we had an enemy and it was the drugs. I was tremendously relieved to know that my son mind was not impaired that there was really something that could be done.

It was a treatable disease that we were finally dealing with it all the difference in the world. I felt good about knowing what it was. There were other other times when I felt somewhat guilty bad personally that it was happening because I I kept thinking I should somehow have noticed or maybe I was at fault maybe something or had died. And your son also is undergoing treatment as well. Did you experience the same kinds of feelings and thoughts. That's very difficult very very much so I know with my son being an only child. When the initial change in attitude and behavior took place myself and my wife thought initially that well it was because of the age that he was and you know he was going from a young. Child to a young man when you know that there are changes in attitude and the way they behave when that

happens. But this was something that got a little bit stranger and the behavior got a little bit more bizarre. And when it finally hit us exactly what the problem was that there was a problem that he did have a drug and alcohol problem. I know myself I was very very mad and when I say mad I was mad at myself not my son not the school district not the community. I was mad because we had let the problem continue for so long it was over a year's time that this behavior and attitude had changed and it got to the point where knowing that his curfew was at 11 o'clock of an evening or 11:30 I would be sure that I was in bed before

he came in because I didn't want to see it. You knew what was going on in your heart when he had had a very good idea. But in my heart it was very very difficult to see your young loved ones basically destroying themselves. There are a lot of parents out there who probably are going through what you have just expressed. For anyone who is concerned it does have a question we have a number that you will call and I'll repeat it again a little later. It's 8 8 8 4 2 9 7. And when you live in Kansas or Missouri you can you for it to get to the proper emergency information as I said maybe the start. But. Once you become aware obviously you have to deal with a problem. That exists. Is there adequate treatment available for young people now. Absolutely not. There is not adequate treatment available in Johnson County. There is no affordable drug and alcohol adolescent treatment.

I'm talking about inpatient or residential treatment. There are certainly good counseling services available. We do have some psychiatric units as far as having access to drugs and alcohol treatment be on Johnson County. There is very little and it's virtually impossible to tell if you don't have insurance through insurance companies cover that can to some do very limited to spare but it's very limited. I know in my case our insurance company paid 80 percent of the inpatient treatment on the average most of your inpatient inpatient treatment programs. They'll average somewhere around seven weeks. Well it happened to be that in my case we're looking at at a 25 to 30 thousand dollar expense. So even paying 80

percent to 20 percent that's left on on the shoulders of the parents can be very staggering. We are fortunate that. And I believe it's next month in July. Blue Cross Blue Shield is coming out with a new address a new. Program addressing alcohol and drug abuse. Now what the percentages are that they will will take care of has not been announced but they are looking at something like 165 days of treatment. And they are the first insurance company and it's hoping that it's going to be a precedent setting move that a lot of the other major insurance companies will start helping parents who have the problem one of the problems with the insurance is the fact that few people if it's an option too and few people will opt to obtain it because who believes that anything like that ever going to happen in their families.

Sure. Well we are getting better obviously. But it seems to me something we still have a long way to go. Again that number if you have any questions or or someone in your family you think maybe travel is 8 8 8 4 2 9 7. I want to thank Bill Allison and charitably. Stay with us. Thank you. We thank the leaders of the chemical people task forces for coming in to be with us today. Last Wednesday in Washington a center for missing and exploited children opened photographs of 39 children who are missing are on display there. This was an article in USA Today about this. With us in the studio is Mike Schaefer of Kansas City a former police officer who the chief of security at a major department store in Kansas City. Thanks for coming with us Mike. OK. And a man who's dedicated a chunk of his life to the whole question of missing children and ways to help find them. You've written a book on things to do to help prevent your child from being among the missing.

Is that right. Yes. What was the title of child snatching. How to prevent it from happening to your child. How that's available in the bookstores on major bookstores. Well how serious a problem is this. The latest reports that we've been reading are that they're not nearly as many children missing as was first indicated. Well John I don't know what statistics you have right now across the United States. We've got approximately 1.8 million missing children. That breaks down to 200 reported missing every hour across the United States. Now a large percentage of this statistical figure is attributed to runaways in parental child snatching. As far as outright abductions are concerned the statistics are rather low as you earlier indicated. Well I checked the the Kansas City Police Department this morning to find out what the case is in Kansas City there are at the moment no children missing listed in the Kansas City Missouri police department

missing under suspicious circumstance. And I'm told that about two cases a month come of children who are absent because one parent or another has taken them away into custody or or a visitation dispute. Bear in mind that we do get a lot of reports but as far as actual events occurring relatively low I think to John this is not really an issue that we want to be neurotic about. It's just simply an issue that we want to become more conscientious and take heed to. Well there are some steps that are recommended about protecting children from from the very worst thing they're being abducted today. What are you recommending. Well since our children are so small and they cannot physically defend themselves obviously as parents are protectors of our children we can teach them mentally to do that. I recommend sitting down with your children and playing what if games hypothetical situations and you make it home to give you insight as a parent to how your child will handle situations. Give

me an example for example. What would you do if you were walking to school and a man approached you and wanted to you. Have you come up on his porch and see his kids. What would you do Johnny. Johnny will tell you what he will do. And then you could handle that situation accordingly to Johnny's response. I also recommend to John that you go over with your child continuously safety awareness training information. Be sure they know that nine one one emergency telephone number. Be sure that they do walk to and from school or if they're out in the summer playing with other kids in groups know where the black mother is. Exactly. And to I think to stay away from isolated areas that are conducive to possible victimization. Do you recommend fingerprinting young children. It can't hurt. As a director the kid identification program we a fingerprint across the United States John thousands of kids and we're continuously doing so. Fingerprints are an excellent tool of identification. And they in some instances can assist law enforcement

agencies in locating a child. Two top level forensic investigation techniques. Now some policemen are not wild about fingerprinting young children because there's no national repository of fingerprints. There's no FBI Center in Washington where fingerprints of a missing child could go. So the police agencies around the country could check in with an outfit to find out if someone they found is truly missing. But just last weekend I was talking with a special agent with FBI on this issue and it was pretty clear to me that the FBI has got thousands and thousands and thousands of fingerprints on file right now and they would almost be virtually impossible to record every child's fingerprints and a place in Washington D.C. on an FBI repository filing system. What we recommend I think is to give the parents the only set of prints that are made. Let them keep those records. And then the unfortunate event the child ever did turn up lost or become missing then at that time those prints along with medical records dental records that sort of thing will be forwarded

over to the local law enforcement agency. Is there any kind of a central record of all those fingerprints to which a parent could send prints. There is. It's in Albuquerque New Mexico. And parents can write to the police department there and find out the information on that. There is a charge I think the place those prints on file there. But I do not advocate placing prints on any kind of a file. I think the parents should maintain the record for most children who are missing then sort of the innocent victims of parental battles. That's what it comes down to. Right. Yeah. And also the runaways as earlier mentioned. But the young kids under 12 understand that are really are in thrall to parents whose dispute is. Affecting their lives. True but we still don't underestimate the problem the problem is there and it's realistic. We have missing children right now. You look at the Adam Walsh case the little boy that was found in a canal he said to capitated take a look at the Johnny

Gosch case in Iowa City. The little boy turned up missing for months. Now I can sit here and cite case after case after case. That is it can be a serious problem that parents should pay more attention to can. Mike thanks very much for being with us. We'd like to thank you for Vadi. What follows may be a rarity. TV boxing story without music from Rocky but music might be appropriate. Here's the background. Kansas City Kansas man trades a briefcase for boxing gloves. His manager claims no strong boxing background but says he taught martial arts for several years. They teamed up in February and now this unlikely combination is trying to arrange the first fight on the road to a championship. STEVE HOLMES As of today until about a year ago Rodney Green was selling insurance. But it's hard. Somewhere around 9 0 it provided a living for the family.

Rodney Robin Rodney Jr. and Robin Alexander but the average professional boxing champ probably makes more money than the average insurance man. Plus there's that lure of the title. So about a year ago Rodney green quit his job and went into training as a light heavyweight. His manager talks of a goal for the next year for Rodney lightning rod green when the light heavyweight championship of the world. As he enters his 27 birthday green is just now getting into boxing full time. But since turning pro in the fall of 78 he owns a nine in one record after an amateur career which littered with titles several trips to the Golden Gloves national tournament including a victory over former pro champion Aaron Pryor. I've been fighting since I was seven. And. Now that some of the people that I have. Been. And fought when I was an

amateur. They're millionaires now they're champions or highly rated contenders. And. I look back on it. If they're enjoying. The benefits of of their talent and I said before the same I would say. Show us Representative. I'm a pretty decent money. And a lot of people but. It wasn't what I wanted to do. I'm selling these stores and thinking about the folks right here in uppercuts. And when the championship belt all the time this has been my dream for so long. Just grand champion. So I gave up. Everything else just so I can train to get myself in shape. And to get somebody to believe in me. As I believe in myself. Green says his career is taking the right track now after being derailed by problems with his previous manager problems which he says kept him from getting

more fights and it took me about two and a half years two and a half years to get all of this straight and then when it all came down to it I had to go to court. Well I had to threaten some people by going to court and getting. My career straight and for them to just back out of it because every time I turned around I was hearing different people saying different things about my contracts and that was bad especially when you try so hard to do something. And. I said I paid my own way to a couple of places to find had everything lined up. My phone bills all my expenses I did myself. And to go to New York. Or to Philadelphia get paid to fight three days before the fight. And they say your party backed out your opponents her or we can fight you. I mean 12 and 13 times. You know

you have a reputation for being good but then you say no I'm not that good. Well check this good. Fine. I'm not a world champion so I set a good fight. Nobody lost the fight. So I hear other things. They get phone calls from guys are different promoters and that they hear me on a contract with no one ever did. But there was some papers going around that have my name on it and you know how would I other people know how good I am. But it took this amount of time for someone to actually believe in me not only minimally but put up some money behind me and that's why I thank God for Dr. Richard Land. My man. Dr. Richard Lonni like the chiropractor didn't intend to get involved in the fight game. He was visiting a gym in Kansas City Kansas for one of his patients

an amateur boxer was working out. That's where he was struck by lightning. Romney was fine with some of the top Golden Globe winners there and he had just a tremendous feat and quickness as Hans. A lot of power and it really frustrates you never even seen me before and the first semi-sane me you know he I guess he felt the vibrations really sit down and talk was just like a match made in heaven for having been in the field of knowing what people can do physically going to their physical limits. I can see what Rodney brain can do and knowing that much. About his efforts knowing that much about how good he is. I put my faith in Rodney green. Right now we're running twice the day I arrived

early in the morning. About between six and seven. And I run in the afternoon after my body gets just to wake him up and. Then I'll go work out to stay there for two hours. About two hours. If I have something coming out if I have a fight coming up off work two hours if I don't have a fight coming up within being within a month or so that I'll work. Like I have light workouts because if you work too hard you burn yourself out. You get tired of it you want to do it. So I'll take it easy but when I'm fighting. I work real hard. It's

going to. Be butterflies and the nervousness and the sweat and the sacrifice and then the food fight and I say why why why why. And the only thing I could come back and this was boy with it you know you're born to be a journalist I guess. Doctors are born to be doctors.

You know and this is my God given talent and I played football. I play basketball. So as a man and I was a salesman I sold everything you could think of except for cars. I did so many numbers of things but it all came back to box. And this is what I enjoy doing. And the one on one contact in contests. It's enough to do what a team is just you and me right. I pray every night that I could have something you know 20 30 years from now not only for me but for my family. And that's what I'm trying to give. What I what I have I have any talent left so I'm putting it. All. Into the next few years. So I will have something when I come over so I will have to work when

I'm 50 65 70 years old in order to survive. And I think I will be a champion. Well I know I'll be a champion. Things are starting to fall in order. Good things come to he who waits and I've been patient a long time. The issue of big money in politics was raised last week when Senator Thomas Eagleton announced he would not be a candidate for re-election in 1986 in Eagleton estimation. It will take three million dollars to win that seat in 1986 and that's big money. With me in the studio is Tom Villa State Representative Tom Villa from St. Louis the majority leader of the Missouri House of Representatives now a candidate Democratic candidate in the primary coming up in August for a Missouri state treasurer. Thanks for coming with us here. Thank you. Share the senator's estimate of what it would cost to make that run in 1986. Well assuming that the incumbent governor Bob is going to make the race

I feel fairly confident that that that figure is probably accurate maybe a bit low I know some of the major gubernatorial candidates are speaking in terms of spending in excess of $2 billion in a gubernatorial race a contested hotly contested gubernatorial race and I feel fairly confident that you know a United States senatorial seat only comes up and most politicians are public servants lifetime ones and needless to say those people that opt to go after that position certainly go forward with all the gusto they have and as a result of that and the day of the electronic media it just cost those types of monies to become successful. Well you're making a statewide race right now and I don't want any of your secrets. I'm sure you wouldn't tell them to me. You have a fairly weak opponent one opponent heading for the primary. He is not very well heeled. I suppose you're not either. Is that right. Well we like to think that our fundraising efforts to date have been extremely successful. By the same token the office of state treasurer although it's extremely important as to who the next state treasurer is

and I think in terms of public perception it is certainly viewed as a lesser statewide office than as a result of that. It's a bit difficult to raise money. You'll have a tough opponent in the general election but your opponent this time is not considered fiscally difficult. What do you think it's going to cost between now and November for you to make this race. Oh we've got budgeted somewhere in the area of around 350 to 400 thousand dollars. We haven't raised that yet although we're well on our way and I think that hopefully I'm perceived as the frontrunner. I think my legislative track record speaks for itself and as a result of that although it's difficult we're just going to keep plotting away and hopefully raise enough money to make it a victorious effort without Senator Eagleton who is concerned about the impact of big money in American politics about the implied purchase of support from a candidate who who wins the election. Does that concern you. Oh sure. I think it's a genuine concern and I share it with the

senator. You know most most of us that hold elected office take in my current capacity as a state representative from the city of St. Louis. I mean the private interest groups are genuinely concerned about my posture on a political issue and the masses my constituents the people that I represent in this from the city of St. Louis really don't have a very keen pulse. Number one how the Missouri General Assembly works. Number two where I work they don't really know they can't have a difficult time perceiving a state rep versus a congressman. And when someone has a particular interest whether it be an Anheuser-Busch a Monsanto or a Hallmark card. Needless to say they are you know directly affected by how we as elected officials vote on certain issues. And as a result of that it's important that you know that they let you know that they're out there and care about what we put into the statute. Now lots of names are bandied around as potential senatorial candidates in 1986 since the senator has made you know has been yours is among them. It should be more prominent in state

politics. I think the majority leader. You think it will be the ability to raise money that separates the sheep from the goats heading toward that rates. Yeah I think it. I think it will. And that's unfortunate. I think that the trend again with radio and television being the single most important factors in terms of name identity and name recognition. It's the American way. You know a large percentage of the United States Senate you know are in fact millionaires and they're from a constitutional standpoint that you simply can't prevent those people from spending their own money if they see fit to get themselves elected. I don't know if there is a perfectly fair way to do it but needless to say I think that the best candidate is at a distinct advantage with this seat now coming open in two years. It'll be two years and two months to the primary that will decide the nominees going to the general election this fall.

Can you see some shifting alliances in politics in the Democratic side in Missouri. Well I think that the Democratic Party in Missouri number one owes Senator Eagleton a great to a great deal of gratitude. He has served the party extremely well. He is the certainly the titular head of the Democratic Party in the state of Missouri right now. I think his his many years of public service speak very highly for him. I think that's going to cause some some uneasiness. I think for right now. It's hot off. You know the recent announcement of it makes it very current. I think probably after the November general election coming up I think things will probably begin to heat up already. Senator Reagan said in his announcement he just can't run and win for United States Senate seat in any less than two years. You've got to get your organizational people going you've got to begin to raise the money and I think it adds certainly a dimension that most of us were certainly not expecting. But I have all the admiration in the world from the senator. He's been the devoted public servant and I wish him well in

whatever endeavor he chooses to pursue. Would you care to make any guesses as to who the frontrunners will be a year from now heading for this election. Yeah I know this is probably a participate in a very local viewpoint my United States congressman is Congressman Richard Gephardt from the 3rd Congressional District in the city of St. Louis. Congressman Gephardt has not only looked to the progress as a as is a rising star is a an expert on taxes is he is articulate. He is very talented and I think that Congressman Gephardt would make an outstanding United States senator. And he just embodies everything that I feel is needed for a candidate in the in the 80s and I think that would be very difficult to defeat if he opted to make the race. Does that mean you are a Gebhart man heading for all that's a bit premature. Anything can happen in this business. Gebhart maybe a man. I certainly hope so. I really do. Nice to be with us today. Thanks for going.

Thank you very much for juried art exhibition has begun at the Nelson Adkins museum and continues through July 1st. Thirty four artists from Missouri Kansas Iowa and Nebraska are represented in this 19th annual event sponsored by sustaining members of the Junior League of Kansas City. We'll have a look at some of the paintings in the show or portions of them beginning with the work of Barbara threats of Shawnee Mission to paintings from her Daytona Beach series entitled Daytona Beach 16 and Atlantic boardwalk. In his. Own.

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this is. The videotape sample of the mid for exhibition was produced by J Wilson channel 19 next week on Kansas City Illustrated. We'll devote the program to reports on upcoming Kansas City Spirit Week event including a preview of the car race scheduled for July 7. So in next week's Kansas City Illustrated John Masterman Wishing you a good night and a good week. It's a is a is is is

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